Remembering that Moment #BeCovered

Do you remember that moment when someone else mattered more then you did? That you cared enough you knew you would want them to carry on without you?

I remember holding my newborn daughter, we were in a homeless shelter and thinking, Oh My Goodness she is mine and I am responsible for her. It was me and her in this world and I had better get my act together because I had a daughter to raise. She was a beautiful child who needed me to be at my very best.

My daughter and I when she was a few weeks old.

I was going through a divorce and knew what was important, I had to start thinking of our future and how I was going to reestablish myself and take care of her. It wasn’t till she was about 5 and I had a decent full time job that I started really thinking about, what if something happens to me? By this time her father had very little contact and I knew I needed to make plans. I needed to start thinking of her future without me in it. I needed to come up with a plan.

At this time we had a huge fire, we literally were rescued in the middle of the night with fire fighters banging at the door. A young woman, age 21 died feet from my daughters bed. It put me in a place where I knew, I had to have a plan in place. I had to plan that her future might not include me. I was learning quickly I needed to have a will, a guardian and a trustee for my daughter. I also needed to have life insurance.

These were hard conversations to have. I had to find a guardian. A sweet single friend who would become her guardian. She was also named as trustee if something happened to me. I had a plan, a life insurance policy would take care of Rachel in case something did happen and there was a responsible adult who would know what to do and if needed step in and care for her.

Ever since then I have shared here on this blog and across social media how important I feel to have a plan, have a will and life insurance especially when you have minor children. This month my plan has to change. My teen is coming of age and her guardian and trustee passed away just days ago. I have to come up with a new plan. It’s a good time for me to think about these things, to talk about them and to remember how important it is to have my bases covered.

This Wednesday night, I am partnering with my friend Jenn to co-host a twitter chat on the importance of life insurance. Both of us have had friends die suddenly. I know my friend didn’t have a plan in place, life insurance. Everything how now been left to her family to take care. Wills and life insurance matter. They need to be talked about. They need to be in place.

Join @HartGalla and me and the team from Manulife as we talk about life insurance this Wednesday November 25th at 9pm EST. This is a twitter chat so we are hoping you will join in this important conversation. NO RSVP needed. Hope you will join us.

Life insurance always makes sense in you would like more information on how Manulife might be able to assist you, check here.